Ander meiklejow



(No Mo'ael.) I'

. REIGG & A.' MEIKLEJON.

MAGHINE PoR CUTTING GOAL-0R OTHER MINERALS. N'o 247,950. Patented Oct. 4.,;1'881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HUGH RIGG, OF BONNYRIGG, AND ALEXANDER MEIKLEJON, OF DALKEITH, COUNTY OF MID-LOTHIAN, SCOTLAND.

MACHINEFFOR CUTTING COAL. OR OTHER MINERALS.

SPECIFICATION formingvpart of Letters Patent No.. 247,950, dated October 4, 1881.

Y Application filed May 12,1881. (No model.) Patented in England February 2, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that we, HUGH Rice and ALEX- ANDER MEIKLEJON, residing respectively at Bonnyrigg and Dalkeith, in the county ot' Mid- Lothian, Scotland, and subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain Improved Mechanism for Cutting Coal or other Minerals, (for which we obtained a patent in Great Britain, N o. 437, dated February 2, 187 8,) of which the followin gis a speciication.

Our invention consists in the improved device and construction of a machine for cutting coal or other minerals, in which the whole ofthe workin g parts are arranged so that the cuttin g wheel or disk can cut a hole in the mineral to the under side of the sleeper-supporting rails on which the machine travels, thereby leaving no portion of the mineral to-be afterward lifted by hand-labor or otherwise. The lmachine is made so low as to work in very thin and valuable seams, and this in many cases without cutting laway any portion of the coal, and with means of adjusting the machine to cut at any angle, at the same time retaining great rigidity and simplicity of construction not hitherto attained. The dragging-gear for dragging the machine along the face ot' the mineral While employed is also improved, so that an endless l Fig. 3 an end elevation.

The machine comprises a lowfraine-work,A, constructed of sufficient size and strength to carry the motive-power engines, cuttingr mechanism, and other parts, and this frame-work is4 mounted on four Wheels, I, running on rails R, to enable the machine to travel along the face ot' the mineral to be out or operated on. A strong bracket or gib, H, is tixed to one side of this framing, and carries a rotating disk, F, tted with cutters G, which, as the machineis fed forward, cut into the face of the coal.

The motive power employed for operatin g the machine is derived from steam or compressed air acting upon ,the pistons ot' two cylinders, B B, mounted on thev frame A, the power being transmitted to drive the cutting wheel or disk F through connecting-rods C C fitted to cranks on a transverse shaft, D, on which there is keyed a bevel-pinion, E, gearing into teeth fon their counterparts, formed on or cut out in the revolving disk F. The cutting-Wheel F revolves and cuts into the lower face of the coal while the machine is being slowly fed forward or dragged along the face or wall ofthe mineral.

The dragging or traveling of the machine along the face of themineral is accomplished by a chai'n,'P, which is xed at both ends of the wall of coal or mineral to be cut. The chain Pvpasses round two pitched chain wheels or pulleys, O O', on transverse shafts NN', these pulleys catching the links of the chain, so that when made to rotate they drag the machine along the face ot themineral'while it is en gaged in cutting. For this purpose the shaft N, carrying the pulley O, is rotated by means of gearing N2 from a longitudinal shaft, M, on which there is Xed a Worm-wheel driven by a worm, L, on the crank-shaft D.

A clutch, N3, and hand-lever are provided for putting the draggingpulley O into or out of action. Y

At each ot the corners ot' the machine are xed adjustable screws K, bearing ontoI the axles J ot' the carrying-wheels I, theser screws K being provided and used for raising and lowering the machine to suit the dip and rise ot the seam of mineral. This construction of adjusting-screws K and axles J allows of the whole framework A, with the disk or cutting wheel F, being adjusted to any angle irrespective of the level ofthe rails R and sleepers S.

The disk or wheel F may have more or less teeth, to suit the speed considered best for the kind of mineral to be cut. The shape or form of the cutters G, which are bolted to projections F on the wheel F, may also be varied to suit the nature of the mineral operatedV on.

The projections F' are faced on both sides alike, so that the cutters G may be bolted on either side and the Wheel F driven in the reverse direction. ing the cutting-wheel F. is fixed to the framing A, so that the wheel F can cut or hole7 to the under side of the supporting-rails Bi.

We are aware that itis not new to construct a coal-cu'ttin g machine with a horizontal rotary cutter carried by a traveling frame 0n which is also mounted the driving mechanism, and to adjust the machine to different heights, and t0 employ the power which drives the cutter 5 to cause the frame to traverse on its rails. These features therefore we do not desire to claim, broadly; but

Wrhat we elniin as our invention isl. The combination of the traveling frame 1o carrying the driving mechanism with the bracket H :md cutting-wheel F below the level of the wheels of the frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the traveling frame, 15 euttingwheel, and driving meehanism with crank-shaft, worm L, shafts M and N, and gears, Clutch N3, wheel O, und chain, all suhstantially as described.

3. The combination of the traveling frame, cutting-wheel, and driving; mechanism with zo the wheels I, bearings, and adjusting-screws K.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HUGH RIGG. ALEX. MEIKLEJON.

Witnesses:

WALLACE FAIRWEATHER., ALEX. FORBES. 

